Mortal

Chapter Five: Charlotte

"Miss Belle!" A woman stampedes into my history of magic classroom, disturbing the peaceful quiet of exams. I look up to see that she is one of the nurses in the infirmary. "It is Mister Serin, he is finally awake." I am unfazed by this news: I haven't thought of Serin in weeks. I had nearly forgotten about him before this. I have made friends, and I no longer need an upperclassman to help me. "He is requesting to see you, against our suggestions."
"Well, I don't see any reason to disobey the doctor's orders, I will see him when the doctor deems fit." I have gotten good at speaking the proper tongue here, at the Academy. Everyone is very sophisticated.
"He said that I should force you to come, no matter your answer. You best come with me willingly." I sigh. I flip my test over and stand up, following the nurse down the hallway to the infirmary. "He isn't speaking much, being in a coma for weeks, but he gathered the strength to ask for you." I nod. Of course he did, he probably doesn't realize that I don't think of him in any way anymore. Serin's face as I come into his view is priceless. His face holds the happiest expression I've ever seen.
"Hey, Serin." I smile shyly. I had been taken away with him before, when I knew no one, and thought he was unique in the way he spoke and acted, but he is just like everyone else at this school; no one disrespects each other, the opposite of my old schools.
"Hi Charlotte." His voice is like nails on a chalk board, and it takes everything not to flinch. "How are you?" I can barely make sense of what he says, but I understand what he is trying to say.
"I'm good. I have a lot of friends that are helping me feel welcome in your absence. Do you, uh, remember me coming and talking to you?" He nods sadly. Crap. That means....
"I understand, Charlotte. But, I do wish there is a chance for us to be friends. I really like you, Charlotte. You're different than the others here. You're special." I'm a little taken aback. What does that mean? How am I "different"? I shift uncomfortably, which catches Serin's eye. "I'm sorry if this discomforts you, but," oh, God, what? "I want to know what you remember from your test." I look at him, surprised.
"Oh. Uh, I guess I remember being alone in the room, seeing the things they told me to see, and then you and Headmaster were suddenly in the room with me." He nods, making me exceedingly more uncomfortable.
"You see," his voice is near his normal stature by now. "that test allows us to see your magical essence, the extend of your abilities, faeries have a lot of magic, but you....well, you are way above the most powerful faerie in recorded history. Headmaster thinks you aren't a faerie, but something....entirely different, and easily the most rare occurrence in our world. She thinks that, somehow, instead of being an exiled angel not good or bad enough for heaven or hell, you are the spawn of an angel and a demon. They are what we call Nephalem. You have probably heard of Nephillim, the offsprings of humans and angels, but Nephalem are much more powerful, and they are immortal, much like faeries. But, if you were one, you would have been born this age. Can you truly remember your childhood?" I try to take all this in. Nephalem? That would make sense...magic is so easy for me. I try to remember my life before I turned fifteen, as I basically haven't changed since then, and I can't think of anything except what I was told...
"I....don't think that I have a childhood, except for what I was told was my life." I down at Serin, who nods understandingly. "If I'm not a faerie, can I still attend the Academy?" My eyes are wet, for some reason. "Plus, my entire life is a lie, how do I even know that I am who I am...I'm scared, Serin." I brake down into sobs. He looks sympathetically at me.
"I know you, Charlotte. I've known you for a day, but I know you. Better than any friends you've made, I'm guessing. Headmaster and me decided not to tell anyone about this. I know who you are, Charlotte. I knew you the second I saw you. I knew that" he stops for a second. "I love you. I have never been so sure about anything in my life, Charlotte." Oh, no.
"But....I-I" my voice breaks. "I don't love you, Serin. I hardly know you. I might be able to learn to love you, but I don't feel the same way." I see his face grow sad, and broken. His face goes pale, and he looks away from me. "Serin, I-" he cuts me off.
"No. Just, go. I can't bare it." His face is now cold and angry.
"Serin..." I look at his broken face sadly.
"I said leave, Charlotte! I thought you were different, but you are just like everyone else! You toss me aside, like a piece of trash! Go talk to my brother, he'll sure give you some tips. And you best join the Unseelie court, if you want to fit in. I'm sure they'll welcome such a demon." I feel his words hit me in the heart, I take a small breath and run out of the infirmary. I head straight to my room, and collapse on the bed and begin to son uncontrollably. I hear someone pass, and open the door. I feel someone sit on my bed and put their hand on my shoulder.
"Hush, little flame." Xeraph.
"Xeraph!" I grab him and pull him into a steady grip. "Serin told me about what I am...and then he called me a demon! It isn't my fault!" I sob into his chest. "It isn't my fault my parents are a demon and an angel... It isn't fair!" He hugs me lovingly.
"I'm sorry about him. He is cruel. He always has been." I hug him tighter.
"It makes it worse that he loves me, but I am with you. And I don't love him, and I never will, Xeraph. Never." I have stopped crying, but I don't let Xeraph go. "I love you, Xeraph. Never do something like that to me, promise."
"I would never." He leans his head down to kiss me, something we do often, but this time I feel his sympathy on my feelings towards his brother, and his love for me. "I love you, too, Charlotte. More than you'll ever know." I smile, but, deep down, I think that I really do have feelings for Serin, but they are buried...

×××××××
If you want more information about Nephalem and their origins and abilities, go to "http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Nephalem_Physiology?comments_page=1" for extra stuff that I won't put directly into the book, to save time and to avoid confusion. Thanks! Happy reading.